Roses of a Different Color
by NightmareGlitter
Summary: Ever since Yuki gave her blood to Zero, he has gotten worse. Now, incapacitated in her room, she is unable to ward of an attack from an unusual vampire. Will Kaname be able to save her and interpret his warning? Pairing undecided, RxR
1. Chapter 1

Yay, first Vampire Knight fic! I love this manga…'cuz I love vampires! They're so cool. Ok, I'm weird. Well, if anyone reads this, then they don't think I'm entirely weird, right? Hey, does anyone know if there is an anime for Vampire Knight? PM me if there is…and does anyone know what Absolute Boyfriend is called in Japan? PM me if you know that too. Anyway, onward with the fic! BTW it's probably not that great. It's drabble. Kinda.

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight. If I did…nothing would be different. Except that Yuki and Kaname would be married or something.

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Yuki sat up in bed, shivering from the frigid air. She stood up, then almost fell over, dizzy from loss of blood. Looking out the window at the snow, she thought back to the previous night.

_"I don't know how much longer we can keep this up, Yuki," Zero told her as she once more offered him her blood._

_"Don't worry about it. I want you to. As long as you're not in pain anymore."_

_"You know I can't hold back if you offer. You know I don't want to be this."_

_"Well, you are, so there's nothing we can do about it but accept it. Why can't you just accept yourself? I accept you."_

_He looked with vacant silver eyes past her, and into his reflection in the mirror behind her. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he tried to explain it to her._

_"I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times. I hate this wretched existence. I was never meant to be the one which I seek out. This was not meant to happen."_

_Yuki's chocolate eyes searched his cold ones. "You have to understand. If this happened, then fate had other plans for you. Everything happens for a reason. Everything and everyone has a place in this world."_

_"But when a human is transformed into a vampire, where do they fit in?" he argued, "They were not born that way. It was not meant to be. Even Kaname understands that. He said that it wasn't to be."_

_"Since when do you listen to Kaname?"_

_"I never said I did."_

Numbly, Yuki placed her hand over the bite marks in her neck. The skin was still painfully sore from the penetration. How ravenously he had devoured her! She squeezed her eyes shut, wondering why she felt regret. She had told him he could. It wasn't like they had never done this before. But why should she have second thoughts now? Maybe it was because of Kaname. He viewed her as his. He may have never quite told her directly, but it was apparent he thought so.

She glanced nervously at the sky. It was growing dark again. That meant that night classes would start soon. However, she was too weak to carry out her duties. In fact, she'd been so weak she had not been able to attend classes. Zero was sure to be worried about her, not to mention remorseful over what he'd done.

Sure enough, there was a sharp knock on the door. Quickly, she unlocked it and opened it. The swift movement caused her head to spin.

"Yuki, are you all right?" Zero asked, catching her as she stumbled.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, not wanting him to hate himself anymore than he did.

"You weren't in classes today."

"Oh, that's only because I was too tired…" she mentally slapped herself. Why was she lying to him?

"I thought I'd stop by before I resumed my duties as part of the disciplinary committee. I brought you some food."

"Did the headmaster make it?"

"Unfortunately."

"Is it, um, 'his style'?"

Zero nodded in affirmation.

Yuki grimaced. "No thanks. I'm fine."

Truth was, she felt too sour in the stomach to eat anything. She couldn't tell him this, of course.

He set the bag down on her desk, along with a long, slender package wrapped in tissue paper. She gazed curiously at it.

"I'd better go." He muttered, turning, "Take care of yourself."

"Don't worry about me, I will."

He walked out, shutting the door quietly behind him. She picked up the package, and opened it. Inside were a dozen white roses. In the middle of them was a single red rose. Blushing, she understood what it meant.

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Kaname stepped outside the Moon Dorm into the cold, winter night. His breath came in small clouds of fog as he stared up at the full moon. The sky was beginning to cloud up, a sure sign of snow. Looking at his watch, he figured he had a few minutes before classes began.

At that moment, he saw a shadowy figure out of the corner of his eye. He turned slightly and squinted. No, no one was there. It had to be his imagination. Or maybe it was Aido fooling around again. He made a mental note to have a talk with him about that.

The snow on the ground crunched over his feet as he made his way across campus. He wanted to see Yuki before classes started. He had to talk to her about the new student, Mizuki. There was something different about him. He seemed to have alternative motives. He was planning something, Kaname just didn't know what. Neither did he have any evidence. He just didn't smell right. He smelled like he was disintegrating, slowly rotting. Kaname suspected he could be a level E vampire.

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Yuki lay back in bed, staring at the shadows forming on the ceiling. She felt uneasy. Something wasn't right.

She rolled over, then looked back at the shadows. It seemed as though one of them had changed location. Frowning, she stared intently at it. The form slightly resembled one of a person. She couldn't be sure. Perhaps it was only her imagination playing tricks on her.

A wave of dizziness overcame her. These periodic spells were the reason she had to be careful after letting Zero partake of her. Every time, he unconsciously drained her of more and more life. The incidents were becoming more frequent to. She couldn't satisfy him. He needed more than she could give him.

She closed her eyes, trying to fight of the sickness erupting from the bottom of her stomach. Suddenly, she heard a soft scratch on the window. Before her slowed reflexes had time to react, there was the sound of breaking glass. She opened her eyes to find herself staring up into the deformed face of a vampire--a level E vampire.

Terror froze her body. Her adrenaline failed to kick in and aid her. She could only stare helplessly up into the razor sharp silver fangs.

The demon grinned wickedly, leering at her. He ran his long tongue over his fangs, hungry for her blood.

_"Move, Yuki, dammit, move!"_

The fiend darted down, moving too fast for her eyes to see. He sank his long fangs into her neck, piercing her veins. She bit her lip, drawing blood, for the pain. His teeth sunk deeper, causing electricity to shoot up her spine.

"Help," she gasped, her voice cracking.

Horrified, she discovered she could barely utter the sound at all. She couldn't call for help. He was piercing her throat too deeply.

Gazing up at his face again, she realized he couldn't be a level E vampire. He didn't have the right smell about him. There was something different about him…

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Kaname felt as though something weren't right. Yuki wasn't at the gates of the school, ready to perform her duties. No matter what, she always showed up. Something had happened to her.

Turning around, he rushed towards her dorm. Ignoring campus rules, he burst in, and took the stairs three by three. Something was very wrong. Something was happening to his dear girl.

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Yuki tried to scream as the vampire bit down harder. His sank his lower fangs into her soft flesh, and began to clench his fangs together. Her breaths came in shorter, wheezing gasps as he cut into her larynx.

Just as he was snapping his teeth shut to break off her life, Kaname broke the door down. Even though he was mortified at the scene that lay before him, he failed to hesitate. His adrenaline kicked in, and sent him rushing towards the wretched creature. He took hold of the beast, and forced his jaws apart, releasing Yuki from his vice-like hold. The demon hissed at him, lunging to attack.

Kaname dodged the blow with graceful ease. Seizing Yuki's gun, he shot, to end the mayhem quickly.

Much to his surprise, the beast survived the bullet. It had been a mere graze due to its shocking agility. The creature retaliated with sharp claws, and performed a most unheard of act--it bit Kaname. Kaname's brown eyes filled with surprise as the devil tore deeply into his neck, trying to cut off his life.

Yuki weakly reached for the gun as blood poured from her neck. Meanwhile, Kaname recovered from his shock and tried desperately to tear the fiend from him. The wicked being from hell only smirked at his pathetic attempts.

Yuki managed to grab the gun. Shaking, she aimed and shot. Screaming, the beast turned back towards her. It was relentless.

Kaname took the chance and seized it by the throat. "Mizuki! What's the meaning of this atrocity?"

Mizuki smirked once more. "That secret I shall carry with me to my untimely death. Alas, you shall never know, oh my leader…Kaname Kuran, may I take your name with me to the grave. Predictably, you shall die as well, only not quite so kindly. Fate, as it shall, take you bitterly in her hands, and I pray that she might cut off your life in that day, that day not so far into the future."

"Cease your senseless babble. What do you mean by this monologue of yours?"

Mizuki laughed, a horrible screeching laugh that was reminiscent of nails scratching a blackboard. "Ah, that is for you to figure out; however, I might as well grace your lordship with a vague answer. It simply means that your days are numbered. There is something out there, something in this world that even you, the great Kaname-sama cannot evade. Your fate is sealed. Something, which cannot be denied, is lurking in the dark recesses of your soul--it is your nature. You cannot run from it. One day," here, he pointed at the ceiling, eyes raised heavenwards, "You will have to face it…yourself. And Yuki…what she is to you, what she is to Zero, will all come back to haunt you in a most unsavory manner."

"Must you speak in riddles?"

Mizuki laughed once more, then sputtering, gasped, "Remember, no one can escape their fate."

He drooped lifelessly in Kaname's grip. Yuki held her wound, looking at Kaname in confusion. She had no idea what Mizuki had been trying to say.

"Don't worry about it, Yuki," Kaname finally said, regaining his composure, "I'm certain that he himself didn't know what he was saying."

She nodded, then tried to stand up. He dropped Mizuki and gently pushed her down.

"Let me take care of this."

She gulped, blushing, breaking into a cold sweat. "K-Kaname," she gasped, noting that his wound had already healed.

He lowered his mouth to her neck, his lips hot on her severed flesh. He gently shared his power with her, allowing the damage to be healed. Then, he pulled away.

Heart pounding, she sat up. "Thank-you, Kaname."

"Anything for my dear girl." He told her, smiling sadly. "I think I should stay with you for now."

She gladly accepted his protection and lay back down. Little did she know that their ordeal was only beginning.

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Hope you liked! There will be more chapters, but I'm busy with school and my Yu-Gi-Oh! GX fics, so I don't know how long it'll be. Please RxR: )


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I finally got around to updating. I don't think I can update often. I have a lot to do, and ideas don't always come to me. I'll do my best, though, and I never leave a story unfinished, so you won't have to worry about me abandoning it. It might be awhile, but it will get done. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! **

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Chapter 2:

Yuki stumbled to class, her cheeks flushed and hot. She swayed a bit, feeling dizzy. Deep inside, she knew she had no business going to class in this condition. For the past few days, she had been severely ill; however, she did not know the cause. That did not mean, of course, that she would shirk her duties or her classes. She had to go. She had to perform her duties.

As she staggered, weak-kneed, into her classroom, she began to wonder if Mizuki had caused her illness. It was possible. After all, he wasn't typical of most vampires.

"Yuki, you're back."

She looked up to see who had addressed her. "Hi, Zero."

"What are you doing here?" he asked, seeing her swagger, "You're still really sick. Go back to bed."

She feverishly shook her head and insisted weakly, "I'm fine."

He leaned over, looking her right in her eyes. Her heart thumped as she swallowed nervously.

"You're not fine. Let me take you back to your room."

"But, then you'll miss class…"

"It doesn't matter. And don't even think about coming to perform your duties tonight."

He took her by the arm and led her down the hall. Trembling and sweating, she clutched his sleeve, not wanting to collapse. Before they could even reach the end of the hall, her knees buckled, giving way to her weight.

Gasping and shivering, she tried desperately to regain her strength and stand up. She found she could not. It was as though her quivering muscles were too loose yet too tight at the same time.

"Zero!"

He knelt down by her. "Yuki, this is all my fault." He looked sheepish.

"Why?"

"I shouldn't have been taking so much from you." He whispered, looking resentful.

"No, no! It's not you…I think…you do know what Mizuki did to me? Kaname told you?"

He nodded in affirmation. "You suppose it was his doing?"

"I suspect as much. I can't be sure."

"Here, let me take you to the infirmary."

"No! What if they find out about the secret? That vampires walk amongst us?"

"I'm sure the nurse already knows. Why else--"

"No! Please, just leave me alone."

"I can't. I can't leave you like this."

She shivered harder, and thought about Kaname. She looked up at Zero with guilty eyes.

"Just…go. I can make it myself. I don't want you to miss class or your duties. I'll be…all right."

She attempted a weak smile, trying to convince him.

"You expect me to believe that when you're in such a condition? You're not exactly high in mighty crumpled on the floor like that. Please, let me help you. You're too weak."

He held a hand out to her to help her up. She stared at it for a moment, but didn't take it. Ignoring it, she finally managed to get back on her feet. Zero's face fell a bit, since he knew what this meant. She was rejecting his affections.

"You confuse me so."

She smiled feebly at him. "I'm sorry, Zero. I know there was more meaning to that gesture than simply to aid me. I'm not ready. The roses were sweet, and I'll let you drink my blood, but….there's something holding me back. I can't tell you about it yet. And I can't accept your assistance right now. I need to figure some things out."

"Since when did helping someone turn into a gesture of affection?"

"You know very well what you meant by that gesture." She told him, eyeing him evenly, then said softly, "You can't take me back to my room. You know why."

He blushed, ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry. I overstepped the boundaries."

"Since when do you behave as such? What's causing you to act so strangely?"

"I've been under a lot of stress," he muttered, looking away, then, with a small smile curving his lips, "I thought you were my 'older' sister."

"Then why'd you--"

"Because you let me take so much of you. I'm ashamed of my condition, but since it can't be helped…"

"It's Ok, Zero. I just don't know who…." She quickly cut herself off, thinking of Kaname and the information she had almost given away to him. "Nevermind."

He eyes her curiously, but let it go.

"I'd better go."

She turned, saying no more to him, only feeling guilt, shame, and hurt. She didn't want to treat him like this. She didn't usually act like this towards him. What was wrong with her? She couldn't understand her own action, much less Zero's. Perhaps their most recent interactions had some way to contribute to this awkwardness.

When she finally reached her room, she was much surprised to see Kaname waiting for her.

"Kaname! You can't be here, not now!"

"I'm sorry, Yuki, but it is of utmost importance that I speak with you."

"Well…" she hesitated, "Ok."

She unlocked the door, letting herself and Kaname in the room. When she shut the door, she happened to look at the wilting roses that Zero had given her. Crimson flushed her cheeks as she felt more shame and discomfort. She wanted to let him in, she really did. But, where would that leave Kaname?

"Yuki, you should lie down."

She only did as he asked and looked up at him with almost helpless eyes. He looked down at her sympathetically, almost tenderly.

"Mizuki…" he paused, then started over, "Yuki, I think I know what Mizuki meant."

"What?" she asked breathlessly.

"You see, there's a legend about an extinct race of vampires. These vampires were, indeed, pureblood; however, every time they bit a human, they somehow assimilated human DNA and characteristics into their systems. Over time, these vampires, so to speak, evolved so that they can be hardly distinguished from ordinary humans. They are not level E, seeing how they were never human in the first place; however, they can be mistaken for such due to the human characteristics they possess."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm not finished. You see, when they bite a human, they turn that person into a vampire as well, since they are pureblood. Unlike most, though, the characteristics never sink into until later. And the human retains their characteristics and can still be drained by vampires. Other vampires cannot recognize that the afflicted human is not entirely human. Therefore, the human who has been bitten, although obtaining certain vampire characteristics, is not entirely vampire. They are caught between a human state and a vampire state. They never morph into a level E, and can live most of their lives in peace. However, the only way they can survive is if they create a type of partnership with another vampire--a pureblood."

Yuki's heart skipped a beat. "Are you telling me…that…"

Kaname smiled sadly at her. "And that pureblood vampire," he told her, "due to the toxicity of his partner's blood eventually….dies."

Yuki caught her breath in her throat. "Am…I…"

Kaname nodded. "I'm afraid so, Yuki."

Yuki sat still in a state of shock. Finally: "Thanks for telling me."

"I'm so sorry."

Kaname slipped his arms around her. She found herself thrusting her arms around his waist, holding on tightly. How could this have happened to her? No, she mustn't cry. The tears came anyway. Soon, she was sobbing into his jacket. Though she had tried to be brave, she couldn't take it.

"Is this why I'm so sick? Because I need a pureblood to drink my blood? But wouldn't that make me more of a…"

"Not if you're already one, somewhat."

"But, I…"  
"Yuki, it's Ok. I'm afraid you are sick because the potency of Mizuki's bite. Hopefully, the fever will subside in a few days. If not, then I'll have to drink you blood to remove the poison and prevent you from dying."

"But…Zero…" she found herself gasping. "No! I meant--"

He sighed. "Yuki, I already know about Zero. You know I know."

She only nodded. "How…will I be able to break it to him?"

"Nothing is impossible, though it may seem so. Just tell him the truth."

She nodded. "But, Kaname…Zero…he…loves--"

He placed a finger to her lips. "I know."

She shivered at his gesture, then felt more guilt. "I can't--"

"Yes, you can."

"Kaname, I've already let him--"

"I know."

"And now, he wants…more. He's trying to deny it, but I can tell…"

"I suppose he can't help it."

"But, are you saying that I should…with you?"

He was silent.

"Kaname, I can't…"

"I never said you had to."

"But, what you said about me needing to find a pureblood…"

"It doesn't have to be me."

"But it can't be Zero."

"You denied him anyway."

"I know. But I can't figure out my feelings. I'm confused."

"I don't blame you. Take your time, Yuki. There might be a solution. I'll do my best to find one. If there's any way to reverse this, I promise, I will find it and treat you with it to change you back to normal."

Seeing that he wasn't trying to take advantage of the situation, Yuki relaxed. "Thank-you, Kaname."

"I'll do anything for you, Yuki," he murmured, touching his hand to her hot cheek, "even if it hurts me."

Blushing, she wondered if she would give in to him. Maybe she was feeling awkward around Zero because of Kaname. After all, she had feelings for him. But, then, what would become of Zero? He needed her, and she had been giving her blood freely to him. But now that he wanted more, what was she to do? She couldn't just give in. Sooner or later, she would have to make up her mind. She would have to choose.  
Outside, a vampire lurked in the shadows, waiting for Kaname to leave.

"Hayato, everything is in place. All we have to do is wait for Kuran-sama to leave now."

Hayato smirked. "So fitting to refer to him so respectfully," he laughed, "when we are about to treat him so disdainfully."

Mizuki ran his long tongue over a silver knife, "I can already taste the young girl's blood again."  
"Be still, Mizuki, you don't want to lapse into a state of death again. It was hard enough to bring you back from the dead a first time. Now, I suggest you wait before you do anything rash. You've performed adequately thus far, but if your impatience screws it up…there's no second chance. It must go through a first time."

Mizuki nodded. "Of course." Then, retreating farther into the shadows, "Kaname-sama will have to surrender his false title. He does not deserve such respect. It was not for him to take."

Hayato agreed. "The revolution has begun."

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**A/N: So, what'd you think? Kaname's gonna have some trouble, huh? Well, not that I have you interested, I'm going to be evil and wait at least a week before updating. : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: To all my readers who I promised an update in one week…I apologize. I wrote six fanfics yesterday and was too freaking tired to write anymore. Thankfully, I have a four day weekend, so it's no big deal and I can write this one. I missed my deadline, but only by 24 hours. I'm really sorry to leave you waiting.  
Another thing; do you suppose I should up the rating? It's becoming a lot more mature than I originally intended. If I did up the rating, would you still read it? Please tell me in your review.**

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Vampire Knights and/or anything affiliated with it. I don't even own this laptop. I hardly even own the clothes I'm wearing. : )**

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Chapter 3

Yuki lay in the infirmary, gasping from the effects of her fever. Kaname and Zero looked down at her, concerned. She had been growing steadily worse for three days now; however, she'd refused medical attention until she'd collapsed in the hall. Luckily, Zero had found her and taken her to the nurse. As of now, the nurse could do nothing. Even though she was puzzled by Yuki's condition, all the others knew exactly what was going on.

"Yuki, I'm sorry I let this happen to you." Kaname told her, looking ashamed, "It's my duty to keep these vampires at bay."

"It's…not…."

"Don't try to talk," Zero told her, adjusting the cold washcloth on her forehead, "Besides, it's not entirely Kuran's fault. I, also, should've kept a closer watch on you. After all, vampires from all over have a strange attraction to your blood."

"Why?"

"I can't be sure yet," Kaname told her, "but I do have a theory."

"Well, what would that be?" Zero queried.

Kaname failed to respond.

"We need to know." Zero prodded.

"I am in no position to speak of it at the moment," Kaname sighed, turning towards the window and watching the falling snow, "because I don't know if it's true or not. Once I figure this out, I assure you, you will know. But, for the time being, we'll have to bide our time."

Both Zero and Yuki were confused by this comment. They exchanged a nervous glance.

"What do you mean?" Zero asked finally.

"Can't you tell? Something is not right. I can feel the underlying tension where ever I go. There's a group of vampires here--rebels by my guess--that are about to start an uprising. I can't be entirely sure, but there's a certain attitude lingering, a certain tension that thickens with every day. There's hatred in the air; there's bitter resentment. Someone is angry with the manner in which situations are handled and carried out here at Cross Academy, and perhaps it even goes deeper than that. It might not stop here. It might only be the beginning and spread throughout the country. I don't know exactly what's going on, but I can assure you that I'll get to the bottom of this. I currently have assigned Aido and Kain the duty of investigating this. As for Mizuki's ambush, I have Senri and Takuma working on that. I, myself, have locked myself in my library, going through the archives and researching past incidents as these. From what I've gathered so far, it's not good."

"Well, what can you tell us?"

Kaname sighed and sat down once more. "It's confidential as of now, or at least, it should be. However, since you are involved and you are members of the Disciplinary Committee, I suppose I can make an exception here. You see, when a group of rogue vampires, the type that Mizuki is, gather together under a common purpose, it is not simply to overthrow the existing government. It delves far deeper than that.

"I found out that the Kiroki family, which is the branch that Mizuki descended from, and the Kuran branch go back to a single branch, the Kaidoki. My ancestor and Mizuki's ancestor were twins. At the time of their birth, their mother was unconscious, so she did not know which was born first. The midwife, as well, was so focused on the mother's condition that she failed to record or even notice which child was born first. It was finally determined that my ancestor had been the first-born; however, since no one could be entirely sure, the Kiroki always claimed it was their title.

"Of course, there were no hard feelings from our branch. We did our best to give as much leadership and royalties to the Kiroki as possible. My ancestor's wish was to make peace with his brother and divide the inheritance and the ruler ship. However, the Kiroki would not take part of it. They would not accept the Kuran's attempts at peace. Finally, strained by the tension of sibling rivalry, the family officially split into two branches.

"Even though it is their doing, to this day, the descendants still harbor resentment and the need for revenge. The Kuran family has long since forgotten about them. Even if something could be done to restore their inheritance, it's most likely that the Kiroki would not accept it. It has become more than clear that their desire is all or nothing. The Kiroki, therefore, never gained their rightful inheritance due to their stubbornness. Because of this, and the fact that the Kuran will not give up all that is rightfully ours, the Kiroki's only hope to gain anything is through violence and rebellion.

"It gets worse. Since the Kuran exhibited stronger traits in general, it put the Kiroki at a disadvantage. In order to make up for the handicap, they began practicing the most shameful and taboo of all experiments: mixing human and vampire DNA."

Yuki and Zero sat in stunned silence. Finally, Yuki attempted to speak.

"So, this is why there are mutant purebloods?"

Kaname nodded solemnly. "It appears to be so."

"What can we do about this? It's obvious that unless some action is taken, the very governmental structure at Cross Academy shall be interrupted." Zero pointed out.

"Therein lies the dilemma. I know it seems as though it couldn't get any more complicated, but I'm afraid it can. You see, we can't very well do anything because we don't know whether or not this group actually exists. Even if they did, they might not be affiliated in any sense with the Kiroki. If that were the case, then we would not understand what we were up against. We would not know their motives. We'd know nothing, and therefore be at a disadvantage. Without any information about this problem, we can't very we jump to conclusions and confront the 'guilty' party.

"No, we must wait, yet we shall be alert. I need you to keep your eyes open, and act as additional spies. If you hear of anything, then report to Senri and Takuma. I don't want you to report to me because I might be under surveillance. It may get to the point that you will have to report to a group of my underground inferiors, who I have stationed around the school. This structure is still currently in-progress, so until you hear otherwise from Takuma himself, I want you to report to the Vice President."

"Well," Zero sighed, "it seems that we have no other choice. I don't particularly like to work like this, or be involved with a matter that should be solely the vampires' problem to work out, but it must be done. They are a threat to our society."

"Which is why we must work together without any disagreements." Kaname said quietly, eyeing Zero calmly and evenly. "I don't want you to overstep your boundaries, Zero. I need you to be under my authority here so that this can work. That is, if you will agree to it and swear to abide by the code set for my inferiors."

Zero sighed heavily. "Very well. I swear to keep by the code. But, once this fiasco is over, I wish to return to my prior state of duty."

"Of course. You have my blessing. And Yuki…you have the most important position of all."

"I cannot serve you much purpose." Yuki murmured, "I can't move."

"She's gone into shock from the potency," Kaname sighed, "Yuki, the time has come."

"But what about the position--"

"That was precisely what we were discussing. Yuki, your current condition has forced you into this position. I'm afraid I'll have to drain the poison from your blood, thus bonding us. I don't mean to be so hasty, however, if I don't, then you'll never get better and you'll die."

Yuki shivered at the possibility of death. "In that case, Kaname, do what you see fit."

Kaname looked at Zero. "I suppose you have every right to tell me not to."

Zero looked a bit taken aback, then regained his composure. "Do…what you must."

"Yuki, you do realize that by doing this you will become more of a target, too."

Yuki nodded, blushing. "I don't care. I'll do it…for you. I understand what we're up against, and I want to solve this problem. It's my duty. It's our duty. Besides, wasn't there more you had to tell me? I know you said it was a theory, but I need to know."

"Very well, Yuki, since you do have every right to know. But I'm not sure how to tell you this."

"What?"

Kaname looked uncertain. "Well, it seems as though you're like a Fountain of Youth for the vampires. What I mean is, vampires can achieve absolute immortality by drinking your blood."

Yuki froze. "Then that means…"

"Yes, Mizuki is alive. There's more to it than simple invincibility, though. The vampire can die temporarily under certain circumstances, especially when they reach a vulnerable state after drinking your blood, since it is so potent. By drinking it they risk death themselves. I did not know this until just the other day. Mizuki did die; however, it was only for a short while. He must have planned it and gotten one of his comrades to perform the ancient ritual of the dead to bring him back.

"You see, every thousand years, there is a human who possesses this power. Some can provide immortality. Some can provide added physical strength. Others can increase wisdom. However, some vampires are not able to handle such a great physiological change in such a short amount of time. Therefore, before achieving their state of immortality, as is the case concerning your power, they die. If a certain ritual is performed to bring back the vampire's 'soul,' then they might live without worry forever. There is no known way to kill them. Even if all living things must die, they have already experienced death, therefore, they achieve absolute immortality.

"As for your condition which requires the partnership of a pureblood, it is not quite the same. For purebloods, the mixing of such toxicities from your natural blood and your current state does them more harm than good. Eventually, it wears them down, killing them. I'm afraid that, by doing this, I am putting myself at the risk of death; however, I will do what I can to save my dear girl.

"Unlike regular vampires or those that have assimilated human DNA with their own, pureblood's DNA consists of certain codes and combinations that react strongly against the assimilation of human and vampire DNA, such as is the kind you possess now. Whereas prior to this state I could've drank your blood without worrying about the consequences--since I am a pureblood and had no worries about the effect-- now I am at risk of harm. Zero, as well, was not at risk since he was a former human, neither is he at risk now. It is only common vampires and assimilated vampires that are at the most risk, other than purebloods. However, these are the two categories that derive the most benefit from it."

"I….see." Yuki murmured, confused. "It's all so complicated."

"I know. I'm sorry, but I couldn't make it any less confusing."

She coughed and felt dizzy again, reminding Kaname of her condition.

"I'm sorry, Yuki, I should've saved the explanation for later. Do you want me to go ahead?"

She nodded, only wanting her agony to be relieved.

Zero adverted his eyes in envy as Kaname lowered his mouth to Yuki's neck. Yuki blushed as she felt Kaname's silver fangs graze her neck, gently drawing crimson red. He ran his tongue over the scrape, then, as gingerly as possible, sunk his fangs into her flesh. She felt her body jerk involuntarily at the gesture, then she relaxed.

She moved her hand up into his chocolate hair, blushing redder as drank deeper. Frightened out of her wits, she clung to him, trusting he wouldn't hurt her. She closed her eyes and listened to the soft sound of him drinking her blood.

After several minutes, he pulled his fangs out and wiped his mouth with a tissue. Still blushing, she reached a hand to her neck to find the wound already healed. Almost instantly, she felt better.

"Thank-you, Kaname."

"You're welcome."

Zero stood stiffly by the door. He was silent for a long time. Yuki could tell he was angry and hurt. However, she didn't blame him.

"Zero…I'm sorry."

He sighed. "It couldn't be helped."

She knew he felt remorse for his jealousy, especially since that had been necessary. Perhaps she shouldn't have enjoyed it so obviously.

As of now, she was in a tangled mess. How could she be bound to two vampires? With her current state, she knew she was being forced to choose Kaname. She adored him to the world's end, but…where would that leave Zero? She was far to confused to choose. Perhaps one day she wouldn't have to make such a forced decision. After all, Kaname had promised to try to find a way to return her to her normal state. She knew that Kaname didn't want to pressure her; he wanted her to come to him. Neither did Zero want to pressure her. So, why did she feel like she was? She only shook it clear of her mind as she walked out the door with Zero into the cold, moonlit winter night, ready to carry out her old duties as well as her new.

* * *

**A/N: Whew! That was soooo unbelievably hard to write! I'll try to write the next chapter between now and next week. I promise I will update eventually. I know it's confusing. My head is still spinning. I just don't want any plot holes. The next chap will be less confusing and monotonous, I promise. **

**And please tell me if I should up the rating. I think I'm going to need to. Will you still read it? Please review: )**

**(And more as a note to myself, but also for you)**

**Next: Yuki and Zero talk while guarding the gates. However, little do they know that the spies are being spied upon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to update. I've been so busy, especially with my Yu-Gi-Oh! GX fanfics, and I haven't had a good idea for awhile. Basically, I got lost in my own tangle of complexity. I hope I won't have to remember it all to continue writing this. Because, believe me, this is the absolute hardest fic I've yet to write. Anyway, I'll try to continue it for a bit. I hope I can finish it! XD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.**

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Chapter 4:

Yuki made her way down the hall, silently walking alongside Zero. For the past several minutes since they'd separated from Kaname, they had failed to utter a single word to the other. The silence was oppressive, the tension unbearable. She knew he was hurting badly.

Finally, she tried to break the silence. "Zero, I'm sorry. I couldn't help it."

He looked over at her, his eyes lacking any warmth or emotion. "It's all right. I can't blame you for anything."

"Are you mad at me?"  
"There's no reason for me to be."

"There's plenty of reason for you to be." She argued softly, feeling insecure. "You had me first. I gave myself to you."

"So what are you saying?"

Feeling increasingly frustrated, she answered, "I don't know. All I know is that now, because of Mizuki, we're in a mess. And I don't know where any of us stand anymore. I care about you, but now…I have to form a lifetime partnership with Kaname…and I don't know how to feel about it. I don't even know if this is what I want. And as much as I tried to avoid this conversation with you, it's time that we were open with each other."

Zero seemed less than pleased as they positioned themselves outside the gate. "It cannot be put off any longer, I suppose."

She shivered in the frigid air and wrapped her arms around one of his, clinging a bit to him for warmth and support. "I'm so anxious about this whole matter," she confessed, "Nothing is going as I'd like it. At first, you were like my little brother, in a sense, now…I don't know what we are anymore. Is this so wrong?" Her warm brown eyes searched his cold silver ones for an answer. "Is it so wrong to feel this way?"

"Feel…what?"

"Love." She whispered the word, as though it were dangerous to be spoken aloud.

His eyes widened a bit. "Love? For who?"

She fell silent, only looked down at the snow. "I…I love Kaname in a sense, yet I also love you, in a different way. And I can't quite figure out which is true love, or even if it is love at all."

"Well, Yuki, the truth is…I've always been attracted to you. I don't know what it is about you…maybe your childlike manners, your innocent naiveté…I don't know. It's just…you."

Blushing, she looked up at him. "Remember, Zero, I gave myself willingly to you. I only allowed Kaname because it was necessary. I've already been bonded to you…what can I do now? Are you not allowed to partake of me anymore?"

"I'm not sure."

"It's not that I don't like Kaname," She explained, leaning her head against his chest and trembling, "It's not that I don't want to be with him…I do. But I also want to be with you, and I know that's not right. But I can't help it. And I don't know who to choose. I don't know what to do."

Zero gazed down at Yuki, uncertain of how to respond. "I don't think we're supposed to be together at this point. I swore my inferiority to Kaname, thus surrendering all that is mine, including you. It can't be helped. I hate this…but we have no choice. I would fight for you…"

She gasped. "You'd fight Kaname for me?"

He looked down at her coldly. "I'd do anything to keep you. For the time being, I must do what I must do. But once this ordeal is through…"

"You would dare to think of turning on him?" Yuki gasped, mortified.

"I wouldn't think twice on it."

They fell into silence again. Finally:

"Kaname must not know of this. We shall continue in secret." Yuki murmured.

Zero seemed a bit surprised. "You're not going to turn me in?"  
"I could never." She admitted, leaning up and brushing a bit of his hair out of his face. "But tell me this much; do you have anything to do with this madness? Do tell me the truth."

"I have nothing to do with the matter." He told her, "I couldn't. My duty is to maintain order at Cross Academy, not disrupt it! And this is a matter between Kaname and me; it does not involve the rest of the student body. Why get them involved anyway?"

She only nodded, a bit relieved, yet still suspicious. "You have held Kaname at gunpoint before. Tell me, would you kill him?"

"If I had to."

"I see."

Silence.

"Zero?"

"Yes?"

"Why must you take it to such extreme measures? Settle it like gentlemen. Kaname would, you know. There's no need to become so violent."

"When it comes to vampires, I trust no one."

She sighed and huddled closer. "Is it really worth it to risk your integrity and life for my sake, just so you can have me?"

"In some cases, yes."

"You're crazy."

"I'm not crazy; just crazy in love."

Silence reigned once more.

-------------------------------------

"Do you see that, Hayato," Mizuki hissed wickedly, laughing softly, "The girl is with that mongrel! That means Kaname is wide open."

"Peace, brother, there is no need to be so hasty. We must wait."

"What are they doing, anyway?" Mizuki seethed bitterly, "Can't they see they're no match for us? That girl is so weak…she's useless! Basically, it's two against one."

"Don't jump to conclusions. Your rash actions were the ones that got us in this predicament in the first place." Hayato told him, calmly sharpening a knife. "We must not strike yet."

"Then perhaps we should start from the bottom up, with Senri and Takuma as the first targets. After all, they're in charge of the underground operation against us, as our spies have observed."

"Don't be so foolish. That's what he wants us to do! That would send a warning signal to him. No, he's already suspicious. However, he only knows you are against him. He doesn't know of me… But…besides, what if it's a set up? What if it's a distraction to keep us from striking Kaname? They could be decoys…it's too risky. They might know they're being spied upon. We can't be sure in our actions until we get the entire story."  
Mizuki frowned. "You would wait until the world ended to make a move! You're too careful. Those who are too cautious never advance in society."

"And yet those who cast all logical thought into the wind grow even farther behind. At least those who are cautious are secure in their position. Those who take a step forward too soon end up taking two back. You only fall farther behind."

"Silence your idiotic words of wisdom!" Mizuki shouted, sending a sharp blow across his brother's cheek. "You fool! If we can't work together, then nothing shall be accomplished. So I suggest you cease your incoherent prattling as the wise men do and focus on the situation beforehand. Have you not one ounce of common sense in that empty head of yours?!"  
"Strange. I was about to ask the same of you."

"Why, you incompetent little--I should put an end to your life for your slander!"

"Mizuki, try not to be so loud--"

"I will not listen to you anymore. You are no brother of mine. Neither are you the boss of me. I'm tired of waiting. I want to strike now!"

"Mizuki, don't!"

It was too late. Mizuki leapt through the freezing night air silently, landing softly behind Zero and Yuki, not even ten feet from them. Hayato shrank back, realizing that nothing could be done except for to elude himself. If the plan were to continue, he would have to switch gears.

---------------------------------------

"Zero," Yuki was saying, clinging tighter, "I don't feel so well. I have a strange sense, as though something is wrong."

Zero stiffened. "You're right," He murmured in a low voice, "I feel it too."

"I-I'm scared." Yuki dropped her voice to a near whisper, "I can feel death coming stealthily on us…"

"Ordinarily, I'd try to calm your fears, however, I cannot deny that I have the feeling as well."

"What should we do?"

"Wait."

"Wait no longer," Mizuki thought, raising his dagger, about to strike upon the unsuspecting couple, "The time has come."

------------------------------

Kaname sat in his study, a feeling of apprehension grasping him so tightly, he could hardly stand it. Sighing, he shifted in his seat and looked anxiously out the window. Once more, he attempted to redirect his focus back on his book. At that moment, there was a sharp knock on his door.

"Who is it?"

"It is I, Takuma. I have urgent news concerning the underground operation."

"You may enter." Kaname granted, although he felt uneasy. Reaching under his chair, he wrapped his long, elegant fingers around a gun.

The door opened, and Takuma entered. Kaname stiffened. This did not smell like Takuma. Could it be that looks were deceiving?  
"What is the news?" Kaname asked warily, his hold tightening around the gun which he'd now concealed in his jacket.

"Everything is in place, my lord," Takuma told him, "We're ready to take orders. What is your command?"

"I have none. You weren't supposed to be finished until next week. I thought I told you not to rush the preparations but to take your time to make certain all was well. What has happened to speed up the process?"

"It didn't take as long as we'd originally speculated." Takuma responded. "Don't worry, all is thorough, I assure you."

"I don't believe you."

"What?"

"I said, I don't believe you. Prove it to me."

"But…sir…"

"Prove it!" He snapped, growing unnaturally enraged.

Takuma seemed taken aback. "Kaname-sama…why are you behaving so coldly and cruelly towards me?"

"You're not Takuma." He seethed through his teeth, pointing the gun at him. "Tell me who you are and what your business is."

"I tell you, I am Takuma. And I only wanted to inform you about the condition of the underground--"

Kaname shot, causing the bullet to barely miss him. "Tell me the truth."

Takuma' s gaze grew cold. He seemed unfazed. Finally, seeing that Kaname was unconvinced, he smiled wickedly and began to clap, his voice growing deeper. "How perceptive, Kaname. The rumors I heard of you were true."

Kaname's eyes widened as Takuma transformed into a tall man with long, silky raven hair and eyes blue as the ocean yet dark as the night. "A shapeshifter…" he whispered.

"Did you really believe that we were only a legend? Feast your eyes upon the truth."

"The Kiroki…" he gasped, "So it is true?"

"Yes," the man smirked, "And I can assure you that pathetic weapon can do you no good. It can only harm vampires. But I have achieved a new state, I've advanced beyond that! Don't you see what good assimilation research can do? Ah, the new levels I can reach! Just try and kill me, Kaname, you'll see the task is impossible."

Kaname opened his mouth and closed it.

"That's right, Kaname, you're through." The man pulled out a communication device. "Carry on with the plan. Stage B is completed, I have him hostage…and soon…he'll be dead."

The man laughed as he put it away. "Well, well, it appears you have no escape this time. Your luck has run out."

Kaname's brown eyes widened as the man produced a gun. "But…"

"It's been too long." The man muttered, aiming.

A shot rang out from the Moon Dormitory. Silence filled the air once more.

* * *

**A/N: Mwahahahaha! Cliffhanger! I'll try to update more often, promise. **

**Next time: The bloody revolution begins.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in so long. It's hard to write this fic. Anyway, here ya go.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight under any circumstances.**

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Chapter 5:

Zero's head whirled around as soon as he heard the gunshot. Yuki, as well, turned, then gasped. There, but three inches from them was Mizuki, wielding the knife in his left hand. His teeth clenched, his mouth turned down sharply as they stared upon him.

"No matter," he muttered, "This ends now! The revolution MUST go on!" Mizuki clenched his fist, rage flashing in his eyes as he brought the dagger towards Zero.

Yuki leapt in front of Zero before she even had time to think. Zero opened his mouth to protest, yet it was already too late. Crimson fell and stained the snow.

"What were you thinking?!" Zero gasped.

A weak smile came across Yuki's face, "That I wanted to give you some time. I really shouldn't go on like this. It's better for us all if it ended for me."

"Don't talk like that!" Zero insisted, then frowning, he turned to Mizuki, "You--!" All the bitter hatred and frustration he had kept pent up came out at once. Without hesitation, he pulled out his gun and began shooting. He kept his aim steady; however, it was only due to extensive practice that he was able to hit his target.

Mizuki smirked. "No matter what you do, you cannot kill me! I am immortal!"

Zero clenched his teeth. He took aim again, not knowing what else to do but to keep trying. As he was about to shoot again, there was a gunshot from behind them. Mizuki's eyes rolled back in his head, blood trickling down from his mouth. He fell slowly into the snow, then lay still.  
"Don't move!" A voice commanded.

Zero froze, doing as he had been ordered. He took hold of Yuki's shoulders, reassuring her and steadying her. Senri stepped up, a pistol in hand. Snorting, he gave Mizuki's lifeless body a nudge with his foot.

"He's dead…" Yuki muttered.

Senri muttered something, then aimed. Another gunshot split the air, exploding into Mizuki's head. The body jolted, then lay still.

"Now he is," Senri muttered, stepping over the body and approaching Zero and Yuki. "There's been a breach. We need to get moving."

"What are you talking about?" Zero snapped, "We have to tend to Yuki first. Can't you see she's hurt?"

Yuki looked up at him with a small smile. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me; it's only my shoulder."

Zero moved her hand and sighed. "That's still a nasty wound."

Senri raised an eyebrow. "How could it have hurt her? These guns can only hurt vampires." As he said this, he bent down and pulled the pistol out of Mizuki's pale hand.

Zero stood behind Yuki, his hands still on her shoulders and frowned. He said nothing, his expression solemn.

"Well? Aren't you going to answer me?" Senri looked back up at them.

"I think it's best we didn't explain," Zero muttered, "Come on now, we must get her medical attention."

"Kaname-sama has been shot." The words hung like lead in the frigid air.

Yuki's eyes widened, her blood ran cold. "K-kaname-sama…No…"

"I'm afraid it's so. I have no clue how it happened. Kaname isn't that easy to kill." Senri sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair. "We've got to find who's behind this. The criminal is still at large."

Yuki bit her lip. "Kaname-sama…" Her eyes filled with tears as she thought about him; how he'd saved her. "Is he…"

"He might as well be." Senri replied. "There's nothing we can do. However, he requested that he see you. We'd better hurry because he's on his death bed as we speak." Then, turning to Zero, "So Yuki will have to wait."

"But…"

"Kaname-sama's orders. You have no choice but to obey," Senri said quietly, yet firmly. "Come now, Yuki." He placed his hand on the back of her neck and began to lead her away.

She cast a forlorn glance over her shoulder. "Zero…" The words failed to pass through her lips. They caught in her throat as she watched him disappear beyond the darkness and the swirling snow.

--------------------------------------------------------

Kaname lay still in his bed, each breath more labored than the last. His eyes half closed, dulling, searching in desperation for some sign of help. By his bedside stood Takuma, Ruka, Aido, and Kain. Each stood perfectly still, appearing in the moonlight to be statues. Finally, Kaname spoke.

"You…shouldn't worry…you must…not let the operation…fail."

Takuma stepped closer to the bed and spoke softly. "Kaname-sama, it is of the utmost importance that we be here with you when--"

"You don't understand…" Kaname gasped, "It is your…duty to protect the others…not watch over me as I…die. As vice president…assume your duties. Protect…our name. Protect all the students at Cross Academy…and all the vampires everywhere."

"He has a point," Kain muttered, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest, "You have someone out there impersonating you, Takuma. We can't take that lightly. If he gets away with it…"

"Well, we know who did it," Takuma insisted, "So we can just track them down and--"

"It's not that simple," Kain pointed out, "The Kiroki, even though they are not very powerful, are still aristocrats. We can't just jump on them. Besides, who says that it's the entire clan's fault? It could be just a small group of rebels."

Takuma seemed unsure of what to do. "Well…what do we do?"

"We have to catch them," Aido spoke up, "Otherwise, we'll never be sure it was them. They're too careful in their dealings."

The room fell into silence once more. Timidly, Ruka stepped forward and sat tentatively on the edge of Kaname's bed. She looked down at him with sorrowful eyes. Then, uncertainly, she cupped his face in the palm of her hand and fondled it.

"Ruka…"

"Forgive me, Kaname-sama." Ruka murmured, "But I never told you."

"This isn't going to bode too well." Aido muttered to Kain and Takuma.

"Silence!" Kain snapped, looking irritated. "Be respectful."

"Never told me what?" Kaname asked, his face twisting in pain.

"I…I…"

"Here we go…"

"Silence!"

"I overheard Mizuki!" Ruka cried, holding her face in her hands, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier. But I was scared…"

"Ruka!" He sat up, his eyes wide, "You would've been kept safe…do you…not trust me?"

She stared into his eyes, her own tearing up. "I'm sorry, Kaname-sama," She whispered, "I'm so sorry. But…I couldn't get to you, anyway. I wanted to see you, I really did…but they seemed to follow me and…no one would let me see you. They haven't since…"

"Since last month," He muttered, his eyes dropping, "I know, I know…I'm sorry…it's my fault…"

"Kaname-sama," Kain said firmly, sitting on the edge of the bed, "It wasn't your fault. Now, let's forget all about that. We have a different matter at hand."

"In that case…don't worry about it…Ok, Ruka? It's my fault…that this happened."

"No," Ruka whispered, "It's no one's fault, then. We couldn't possibly have foreseen this."

"I…" Kaname trailed off, unable to speak any longer.

Seeing that the life was leaving him, Ruka picked up his cold hand in her warm one and pressed it to her face. Her crystal tears fell over his hand. "Kaname-sama…" She breathed, "No…please don't. Please. We all need you so much. We all love you so much…I love you so much."

Kaname smiled weekly, acknowledging her statement; however, he remained silent. Ruka leaned down over him and sighed heavily, squeezing her eyes shut. All knew what was about to happen.

At that moment, the door burst open. Senri entered, dragging Yuki in with him. He stopped at the edge of the bed, gazed upon his dying leader, then gently led Yuki around to the side and placed her up next to Kaname.

"Kaname-sama…" Yuki gasped, "He's really going to…"

Kaname shook his head weakly, then lifted his hand to touch Yuki's face. Slowly, he pulled her down towards him. His tongue ran over her collarbone, against her hot blood. Yuki's cheeks flushed with red. She rolled her collar back, allowing him access to her neck. His fangs softly brushed her skin, then broke through. She stiffened as he began to drink her blood; however, she allowed it.

"Please be all right," She murmured, placing her hand on the back of his head and pressing his mouth closer to her pulse. "Please don't die, Kaname. I love you so much. You saved me…"

"Perhaps there is a chance then, that he will not die," Kain muttered, shifting his weight.

"What do you mean?" Ruka asked, "It looks like it's truly the end."

"No, it's not," Kain explained, "I now see why he requested that Yuki visit him. I'd forgotten…her blood is special. Perhaps he can sustain his life through it."

Yuki stroked Kaname's hair. Could it really be that he would live? If that were the case, then she would allow him to drink as much as he needed. He could have it all--if only he wouldn't die.

After a moment, Kaname pulled away. His tongue gingerly licked her sore, tender flesh, cleaning it of the excess blood and closing the wound. He weakly fell back to the pillows and panted, exhausted from the effort. Yuki collapsed next to him, drained. Her world began to spin, then go black.

"Ka…name…" She gasped.

"Yuki, are you all right?" Takuma asked in concern.

"I…I…" A wave of weakness overtook her, forcing her body to comply with the command. She drifted away into a world of darkness, unaware of what was happening around her.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The night was still and quiet, too silent for Zero's taste. Something was awry again, something was lurking nearby. His grip tightened around the cold metal, his finger poised on the trigger. Shifting uncomfortably in the cramped position beneath the stairwell, he listened intently and allowed his eyes to scan the horizon once more. Still nothing. They were smart; they were elusive ones. However, he could feel their presence; he could smell their unearthly scent.

The wind shifted slightly, blowing a few flakes of snow onto his nose. He sniffed the air again, noting that the scent had become more intense. Whoever was nearby was advancing steadily, and he was not alone. Sniffing another time, he closed his eyes and counted.

"One, two, three…" He thought, "Four? They're coming fast…How many of them could there possibly be?" He breathed deeply. "Shapeshifters….and…"

His nose twitched unpleasantly at the sharp odor. What was that unfamiliar scent? No, it was vaguely familiar. It was rather distinguishable, more so than the others, actually. Could it be? Yes, it was…Kaname's blood.

"The deed is done, I suppose?" A strange voice spoke out of the darkness suddenly. Zero jumped, anxious until another answered.

"Yes, of course, I took care of him myself, remember? After all, I do not trust anyone else but myself with the job." There was a short, satisfied laugh, "You know what they say, if you want it done right, do it yourself."

"Well, good, then."

"Have you done as I asked, Hayato?"

"Yes, master. All's in place," Hayato replied, "I've set the dynamite around the Moon Dorm. Now, even if he doesn't die from the wounds, we can still do away with him and the entire aristocracy by a mere push of the button. Not to mention we can rid of any offspring he might have…"

"Why would he have any?" The deeper voice snorted, "He's so young. No, he has other things on his mind besides a family or love. Since when did that ever concern him?"

"It was only a thought," Hayato muttered.

"Was not there another one of you?" The other voice asked.

"Yes, my lord."

"Well, then, what happened to him? Did he bail? Fall off the roof for his foolishness?" He mused.

"Well, not exactly," Hayato replied awkwardly, "You see, by unfortunate circumstances…Mizuki is…dead."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry, my lord," Hayato murmured quickly, "But it's not my fault. I attempted to contain him; however, his vaulting ambition drove him in a most impulsive manner; he leapt immediately upon the target and botched the whole murder."

"Do you mean to tell me that that little child and that HALFBREED are still running around?!"

"Well, master, he IS still alive but…I'll take care of him as soon as I can."

"You'd better!" He snapped, disgusted, "I can't wait any longer. I must do it myself."

"But, I'm not sure if--"

"Wait…Be still!" He commanded, stopping and sniffing the air, "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"The smell of that…halfbreed. He's here somewhere. I smell his blood."

Zero tensed up as he heard the footsteps advancing his way.

"You cur, come out wherever you are!"

Sinking further into the shadows, Zero kept his clutch tight on the gun. However, it was too late.

"Ah-HA! Found you, Kiryu." A wicked smirk came across the shapeshifter's face, his fangs clenched together and shone silver in the moonlight.

On impulse, Zero raised the gun. The shafeshifter as well raised his gun. In one moment, the sound of two gunshots came together in perfect harmony; in one moment, they both fell to the floor, crimson staining their shirts.

Hayato stared at his fallen master. The man's deep blue eyes stared up at the ceiling lifelessly. After a brief moment of silent horror, Hayato clenched his teeth.

"Damn that cur!" He hissed; then, with a wave of his hand, he signaled for those with him to leave. "The plan must continue no matter what. At this point, the steps don't have to be in order. I want you to take them out all at the same time. Set off the explosion."

His comrades immediately obeyed. Hayato turned back towards the two unmoving bodies and silently cursed again. It might be too late. However, as long as Kaname was dead, it did not matter what consequences he had to suffer. It was worth it in the end.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I'm not sure where to go from here, but I'll do my best. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm sorry I've been so slack with this fic. I'll try to do better. ;-;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knights.**

* * *

Chapter 6:

Zero opened his eyes to find Ruka looking down at him. He jumped back a little, surprised. She held a finger to her lips, gesturing for him to be quiet. Confused, he only did as she wanted. However, he wondered where she had come from and why he was still alive.

Sitting up, he looked around the room. The walls were painted cream, with a few plain pictures hanging here and there. There was a red, plush chair over by the corner, next to a cherry dresser with a mirror. Across from the dresser was a cherry nightstand with a lamp on it, and an open novel. He glanced over at the floor to ceiling windows to his right, which were covered with red, velvet drapes.

Sighing and glancing up at the canopy bed, he said, "Ruka…we're in your room aren't we?"

She slapped her hand over his mouth and hissed in his ear, "I told you to be quiet. If you must talk, then whisper at least, or they'll find us."

"What do you mean?"

Her eyes darted around the room; she seemed nervous. "The rebels. Kaname-sama sent me to find you. And now I have the responsibility of keeping you from harm. Therefore, you must do what I say, for it is the same that I have been ordered. Plus, if anything ever happens to you, I'm to blame. So please bear with me."

He sighed heavily, exasperated. "So now, I can't even be of any use, huh? Well, that's just great." He sat up, and swung his legs over the side of the bed, trying to stand.

Ruka frowned and pushed him back to the mattress. "You can't leave. You have to stay here with me. It's not safe for you to leave because you're too weak from the injury."

He raised an eyebrow. "Ruka, I think I can handle it. What was Kaname thinking to keep me out of this? After all, I just killed the ringleader."

Ruka's eyes widened. "You did _what_?!"

"I shot him," He answered, irritated. "That's all there is to it. May I please be allowed to continue with my duties? After all, I am a member of the Disciplinary Committee. Isn't it my responsibility too?"

"Yes, but Kaname-sama has directly ordered that you stay here. So you can't go against his orders," Ruka insisted. "So lie down!"

"I can't let this go," Zero told her, pushing her away and standing up. "I have to go against his orders."

Ruka seized him roughly by the shoulders, shoving him back down. She glared at him, her tone icy as she spoke. "If you disobey Kaname-sama, then you are no better than those rebels. In fact, you will be labeled as such and your punishment will be accordingly. So I suggest you do as I say, and there will be no report of your resistance. Is that clear?"

There was no response. Reluctantly, Zero lay back down and pretended to fall asleep. Ruka remained by his side for several minutes. Then, sighing, she stood up and went into the room adjacent to hers. Hearing the door click shut, Zero figured he had a chance to leave. He lay still for a moment, just to make sure that she really was gone. Then, seeing how she didn't return, he quickly stood and opened the door, taking care to be quiet. However, he soon regretted his decision.

"Damn it…"

"Well, well, well, looks as though the cur didn't die after all. What are you doing here?" Hayato smirked as he stepped inside.

"You're not welcome here; leave." Zero frowned, trying to block Hayato's path.

"Excuse me, I have some unfinished business with Ruka Souen. And you're in my way…"

"You can't see her right now. She's very busy," Zero seethed, all the while reaching slowly for his gun.

"Ah, well, in that case, tell her that the building will explode in ten seconds, and the bomb is in her room."

"What?!" Zero's eyes widened.

Before he could even run to get Ruka, Hayato had already left. The speed with which the vampire had disappeared was incomprehensible. Shaking off his shock, Zero rushed into the next room, yelling.

"Ruka, get out of here! There's a bomb!"

She turned quickly, her face paling. "What?!"

"We don't have much time, the bomb will--"

It was too late. Nearby they heard a small click. Zero leapt, shoving Ruka down in a futile attempt to protect her. However, it did little good.

A ways off, Hayato watched with smug satisfaction as the dorm burst into flames. "There will be no more of that problem," He laughed softly, "Now, to eliminate Yuki and Kaname…it shouldn't be too terribly hard." Laughing louder, he walked away from the Moon Dorm, paying it little attention as it began to burn down.

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Kaname sat by Yuki's bed, watching as she slept. Even though he'd recovered a bit, he still felt incredibly weak. It would take awhile to heal, even after drinking her blood. Still, he knew that if he hadn't, he would be dead by then. Sighing heavily, he laid his head on the pillow, deep in thought.

How were they ever to defeat this enemy? It seemed much too difficult, and they were well experienced. Already, they had gained the upper hand. It seemed almost impossible; it seemed as though they were going to win. However, he could not give up. He owed that much to Yuki after all she'd been through, as well as to the rest of his people.

Feeling uneasy, he arose and stepped over to the window. Lifting the curtain, he peered out. Nothing seemed to be amiss. However, he felt as though something devastating had just occurred. Something that might determine the victor in this power struggle.

At that moment, there was a sharp rapping on the door. Wordlessly, Kaname opened it, unsure of what to expect.

"Kaname-sama!" Takuma gasped, breathless, as he threw himself at the president's feet. However, it was not a gesture of submission, rather, a gesture of extreme grief.

"What is it?" Kaname knelt by Takuma, a tight knot forming in the pit of his stomach.

Takuma gazed upon his leader, his eyes shimmering with tears. "I'm sorry…I failed. I could not keep them safe. The rebels have attacked the Moon Dorm and obliterated it. There is nothing left."

Kaname stood quickly, motioning for Takuma to do the same. "You mean to tell me that Zero Kiryu is now dead?"

Takuma's eyes darted about nervously. "Well, I believe so. There's no way he could've survived."

"And what of Ruka?"

"It can only be assumed that she is dead too…"

Kaname sighed heavily, closing his eyes. "How could we have let this happen? We were too distracted…" He banged his fist on the wall. "This is all my fault…"

"No, it's not," Takuma insisted, "Please, Kaname-sama, don't blame yourself."

"How can I ever tell Yuki?"

Takuma looked down, uncertain of what to say. "Well…I don't know…But there is a bit of good news, too."

"Good news?" Kaname snapped, "What ever can be good news at a time like this?!"

Takuma looked away, unable to gaze upon Kaname's face. "Well, Zero did take care of the leader. He's dead."

Kaname closed his eyes again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's all well and good but…won't that make things worse?"

"There's no one to lead them…"

"Except for Hayato; have you forgotten?" Kaname sighed heavily.

"Wait….who's he?" Takuma seemed confused. "How do you know--?"  
"I'd rather not talk of it," Kaname told him, "Now, if you would leave, I have some planning to do."

"But, Kaname-sama," Takuma protested, "We really need you to assure--"

"Not now. I would like to but…I have to come up with some way to stop this from going over into this dorm or the city. So, I want you to take over for me in that department. All right?"

Takuma nodded, keeping silent. Without another word, he stepped outside and closed the door. Kaname turned back towards Yuki, then let himself fall down on the bed beside her. His hand flew to his forehead, he squeezed his eyes shut. At this point, they were certainly at a disadvantage. They had reached an impasse; was there any way to proceed? It seemed too hopeless, as though there was nothing that could be done. There was no way that he would abandon his people, however, protecting Yuki was his priority for the time being. After all, it was her that they would need to make themselves more powerful. It was her blood that would decide the fate of them all.

A sudden wave of exhaustion and sorrow washed over him. He felt as though he were incapable of making a proper decision unless he rested. Perhaps it would be all right just to sleep for a few minutes. Perhaps it would be best and it would aid him in the decision making process.

Yawning, he rolled over on his side and curled up against Yuki. Her warmth penetrated through the sheets, causing him to feel ever more grief. He knew he could never live with himself if anything happened to her. Rather he would die then to allow any harm to befall her.

Closing his eyes, he began to drift off. He slipped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly against his chest. Her presence was warming to his soul; she was comforting. It was only through her that he would find the strength to carry on and continue. She was his motivation for surviving this attack on their society. And he had made up his mind; he would not let her down.

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"Zero…"

"Shhh, don't talk."

"Zero…" Ruka opened her eyes, numb from her head to her toes. "Wha…"

Kain looked down at the injured girl, horrified by what he saw. It was a miracle he'd even found her at all buried under the rubble of the dorm. However she'd survived, it didn't mean she'd survived it well. Her body was beaten and bruised, her bones surely broken. She was bleeding extensively and it would not be stopped. Perhaps she was not as lucky as he'd thought. She might not make it through the rest of the night.

"Kain, what have you…" Takuma began, then stopped, seeing Ruka. "Oh dear…she's alive!"

Kain shook his head. "Probably not for long." He knelt by her and gently began to lift her.

She screamed in agony. "No, please stop!"

He gingerly laid her back on the ground, uncertain of what to do. Takuma leaned down to get a good look at her. Sighing, he shook his head.

"I'm going to have to take her to the infirmary." Takuma muttered, "Ruka, will you let me do that? Will you try to endure the pain?"

She nodded weakly, trying to be brave about it. "Takuma…Zero…he…"

"He what?"

"Have you found him?" She asked as Takuma slipped his arms up under her.

"Not yet. We've excavated most of the surrounding area, and taken care of the corpses…" He grimaced, "But we have yet to have found him or seen any trace of him. How did you ever survive that explosion, anyway?"

"Because Zero protected me," She murmured, looking down, "He shielded me as best as he could with his own body. Other than that…I don't really know."

"It just isn't possible," Kain said in disbelief, "It was in your room. How could you have survived it? It just doesn't add up. Whether or not Zero protected you, you would have been blown to bits! It doesn't make any sense…"

"Miracles do happen, Kain," Takuma pointed out, "If there's no explanation then it just wasn't meant to be. Fate had decided that it wasn't her time."

"I suppose," Kain admitted, running his hand through his hair, "Still…"

Ruka screamed involuntarily as Takuma lifted her from the ground. Unable to help it, she began to cry and beg for him to put her back down. He hated to see her so miserable, however, he didn't have a choice. He had to get her medical aid before she grew worse.

"It's worth it," He told her, "You'll be better soon. Trust me."

She clung to his neck, tears stinging her eyes. Biting her lip, she suppressed the screams rising in her throat and kept herself silent.

"Kain, stay here and see if there are any other survivors," Takuma ordered, "I'll take Ruka."

Kain nodded and turned back to the ruins. Takuma carried Ruka away, relieved that she was alive yet concerned that she would not be able to survive her injuries.

"Anything broken?" He asked softly.

"Probably," She groaned, "I don't know because I'm in so much pain…Funny thing is, it was all numb a moment ago."

"That's not a good sign." He stepped inside the double doors of the school, "You're so pale. You've lost a lot of blood."

"I'll be fine," She muttered, "I can handle it."

He lay her down on the bed in the infirmary, looking skeptical. "I don't know, Ruka. You worry me so much." Sighing heavily, he pulled up a chair. "I know Kaname-sama wanted me to lead the operations but…you're hurt and I can't just leave you without knowing if your condition will be stabilized."

"You're deliberately disobeying Kaname-sama?! You're as bad as Zero." She winced and shifted her position to a more comfortable one.

He shrugged. "I'm just looking out for you. Isn't that part of my responsibility? After all, you are one of the aristocrats. And a very important one at that."

"Don't flatter me." She told him, smiling a bit, "I'm not that high ranking."

"Oh, but you are, more so than you would like to believe. Why else was the bomb planted in your room? I think they know the secret by now."

Her eyes fell to her lap, her expression became serious. "They must…it's not a secret anymore. After all, Kaname-sama did drink my blood and he has offered me penance for my actions…not to mention a position of honor."

"It is true that you are favored…" Takuma sighed, "I really don't like that Kaname-sama had to use you like that. I understand why he did it and it was a noble decision, however, I really wish he hadn't."

"I understand," She murmured, looking away. A slight blush graced her cheeks. "Are you suggesting something?"

"No, no…it's just not right, that's all. Never mind." He stood and stretched. "Well, I suppose I should get the Headmaster."

She looked over at him with sly eyes. "All right. I see how it's going to be. Go ahead and bail without answering my question honestly." Her smirk gradually disappeared and was replaced with an expression of sorrow. "Just please, make sure this doesn't happen again and make sure you find Zero. I would like to thank him for saving my life."

"As we all would like to," Takuma commented, "If we can find him. For now, I'll go and fetch the Headmaster then address Kain, Aido, Senri, and Kaname-sama on the situation and anything that we can do. For now, you stay put here."

"I can't walk," She mused, "How would I leave?"

"You have your ways when you're determined enough. And I know how desperately you want to help out. However, you can't help if you're in this condition. So do as I tell you and stay. I'll be back shortly."

She nodded as he exited. Deep inside, though, she feared that it would be the last time she'd ever see him or the others. Leaning back against the pillows, she sighed and hoped that things would be set right, and soon. Two obstacles had been overcome, yet there was still the threat of the third. Until he was taken down and questioned, they would not know the rebel's base nor would they be able to end the attacks. Hopefully, the violence would end soon. As long as they had Kaname in charge, they had a chance of winning. However, if he was injured, then that would be the end. All they could do was protect Kaname and wait.

* * *

**A/N: Well, not too much was accomplished in that chapter but I'm pretty sure next chapter will be quite worth the wait.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I don't believe I can make this fic too much longer. It's so complicated and really hard to write. But I'm going to try my best to continue until it wraps up. Truth be told, I don't know how many more chapters there will be. This could be the last or there could be several more. I just don't know. Also, for those of you who keep up with the Japanese manga, I do know some of the spoilers; I just chose not to incorporate that part of the storyline. Some of what is said might be taken as canon; however, I wish to continue the story as I'd originally planned it without adding in the obscure details that have been left out.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight**

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Chapter 7:

The call came in early in the evening. Kaname was sitting by the large Palladian window, sipping on a cup of hot tea and looking over some official government reports. Sighing, he flung them aside and rested his chin in his hand, his dark eyes scanning the room slowly, as though he were deep in thought. That was when there was a knock on the door.

At first, he was loath to open it. Something inside him had just become more skeptical and more paranoid since the rebels had attacked his private quarters. It seemed as though they were even bold enough to do it again. Hopefully, he would evade any more attacks. However, he could not take the chance of not answering it. There could be news on Zero's or the rebels' positions. Greatly hesitant, he arose and slowly opened the heavy wooden double doors.

Senri stood on the other side, a slight frown knitting his eyebrows together. Wordlessly, he hung his head slightly in a show of respect, then held a letter out to Kaname. Raising an eyebrow, the president took the letter and carefully opened it. He glanced at it momentarily, then shoved it back at Senri before finally speaking.

"So I see that Zero did escape alive," He murmured, turning his back and stepping over to the window, his arms folded behind him, "And I see he has taken matters in his own hands. He's grown too cocky."

"It seems as though he's disobeying you," Senri muttered, "It's almost as if it's deliberate. He's enjoying it. But why would he be so rash to go on a genocidal mission on his own? Why not ask for support?"

"Because he did not want to do this the aristocratic way," Kaname answered, turning his head away from the window, "He wanted to do it in a most barbaric manner, seeing how he believes that vampires are animals and they deserve it. I should've known it would come to this. If he continues in this manner, our blood lines will be tarnished for all eternity. The goal here was to try to hold them at bay while protecting our kind and trying to establish a treaty with them. Or at least keeping them from harming us anymore without causing more animosity. It seems as though that is impossible now. He ruined all hopes I'd had of establishing peace between the Kiroki and the Kuran again."

Senri remained silent. Kaname failed to say any more in regard to the matter. He simply turned a full back to the other vampire and waved a hand of dismissal. As soon as he heard the door close, he hung his head and closed his eyes. The moonlight crept in through the window, falling on his silhouette. Shaking his head, he collapsed back in his chair, unsure of what his next move would be. He only picked up the accursed reports again, and began filing them away.

* * *

Yuki lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. No matter how hard she tried, she could not go to sleep. Perhaps it was because of the strange ominous sense she got whenever she glanced nervously out the window. Feeling uneasy, she wondered if she should try to go see Kaname or at least someone who could talk to her. Hearing what seemed to be footsteps on the roof, she hastened to get dressed. On her way out, she snatched her Bloody Rose gun and tucked it under her black jacket. Who knew what could be lurking outside. She would need all the protection she could get.

As she carefully stepped out, she felt as though she'd made a major mistake. Although she'd been nervous about her job as a prefect before, she had never been quite so restless and apprehensive about it. Tension was in the air, though; it just seemed to vibrate with excitement. Something remarkable must be about to take place. And she was going to be the first witness.

Off in the distance, a tall figure crept towards the woods. She squinted to make out who it was. Only when the moon crept from out behind the opaque clouds did she catch a glimpse of silver hair. Could it really be…?

Her heart leapt into her throat. Stealthily, she tore off into the night and towards the gates. Instead of going through, she leapt over them and landed as quietly and gracefully as any cat on the other side. She crouched near the ground, keeping still. Doing her best to stifle her breaths, she watched the figure, keeping close to the grass so as not to be caught. She crept slowly on her hands and knees, using bushes and trees as cover. Finally, she came close enough to get a good look at him. She gasped softly in her throat.

Indeed, it was Zero. However, there seemed to be a more bestial nature to him than before. His fingers were bent at the joints, his nails elongated, ready to slash. His eyes glinted dull red through the blackness of the night. As well, his fangs had grown considerably, and were protruding most unattractively from betwixt his lips. The longer she stared upon his hunched over figure, the more she was convinced that he had begun his deathly fall into a Level E. She dug her fingers into the soil, her eyes misting over as she berated herself for not having been able to save him.

As she watched him, she found that he was plunging deeper and deeper into the woods. Frightened yet resolute, she followed him as quietly as possible, keeping to the darkest of shadows. He didn't seem to notice her since she kept her distance and since he was so intent on whatever it was he was doing. It was almost as though he were seeking something out. What could he be looking for? The curiosity only added as motivation to continue following him. And that she did, even until she was completely lost in the depths of the forest.

After what seemed like hours of tortured silence and espionage, they came upon a small clearing with a waterfall. Yuki stayed back in the forest to see what Zero would do. She watched as he sniffed the air, then, turned towards the river. His eyes seemingly glowed brighter the closer he came to it. Presently, he stepped behind it and disappeared into a grotto. He did not reappear.

Tense with anxiety, Yuki waited for agonizing minutes. Seeing that he was not going to come back, she debated on whether or not to continue following him. Her intuition told her to return to Cross Academy; however, something inside her told her to remain and look out for Zero. After all, who knew what he was up to. He could get hurt. Perhaps it was better if she stayed and kept an eye on him.

By and by, the moon disappeared and it was dark again. Her legs ached from crouching in such an awkward position. Her back itched and her stomach hurt. She also felt cold as the dew fell down; heaven's nighttime gift to the parched earth below. As she felt more and more drained, she wondered if she should return already. She couldn't wait for him forever. Yawning widely, she finally decided to leave.

As she turned around, she brushed into something solid and warm. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Fear shot through every nerve of her body. Slowly, fearfully, she dared to look up. Red eyes met her chocolate brown ones. She stifled a gasp.

There was no sound at all. The capture was quick and painless. A simple blow to the head was all that was required, and the girl was cast into absolute darkness. The vampire smirked, his long fangs glinting as though they possessed their own light. He smiled down at his prize before slinging her over his shoulder.

"Our people will be saved," He murmured, "The Kiroki will live! We won't let our genetics cause us to fail…" He stalked off, disappearing into the mist that surrounded them.

* * *

"So I see you've decided to come back," Kaname muttered to Zero the following morning when he came to the old dorm that was now being used for the Night class, "What do you want?"

"I've located their headquarters," Zero grumbled from his kneeling position, not daring to meet the aristocrat's gaze, "And I have also discovered a potential weakness."

"And what would that be?" Kaname asked, sitting down and crossing his leg over his knee. His eye bored holes into Zero's skull, "You put our entire school at risk by taking matters into your own hands last night. You should've at least signaled to us that you were unharmed. How you survived, I'm not sure, unless you have gained some unique ability…However, that's not the matter at hand here. What matters is that you didn't put any students at risk nor did you disrupt their peace. You did leave everything as you found it, right?"

Zero nodded dourly, his expression growing darker. "I didn't touch anything at all. And no one but me was involved. I made sure that no one caught me," He said grimly, "Now will you let me tell you what I must? It's of the utmost importance."

Kaname sighed heavily in disapproval, "Very well. If you must. I suppose if you had to do that, then at least you could provide us with the information you gained. Go on." He waved his hand while propping his cheek against his a clenched fist, his expression tired and concerned.

"Well, there are no more than twenty of them, if even that," Zero told him, standing, "Yet they are all extremely skilled in warfare and are highly intelligent. They only need a small group of them in order to take over, especially since they are genetically altered. However, they do have one weakness which could bring their entire plan down, and they know it. You see, their genetic structure isn't exactly stable. Since they've altered it, they've been disintegrating slowly but surely. As time goes on, this process happens more rapidly. Soon, they will literally fall to bits. The only way they can stabilize their structure lies within Yuki…which is why they've been so interested in her. In addition to what you said before, I mean."

Kaname pinched the bridge of his nose, frowning and closing his eyes. "So it's even worse than I'd imagined. They are all mixed?"

"Not just mixed with vampire and human DNA." Zero breathed, "But they are all shapeshifters as well."

"So they've taken it up a notch?" Kaname sighed, "I already knew there were a few but…all of them? Well, I suppose it was going to happen sooner or later. I cannot imagine a group like that becoming invincible. They do know the risks of drinking Yuki's blood, don't they?"

"Apparently, they don't care," Zero muttered, "They are facing obliteration anyway, you know."

"True," Kaname paused a moment to think, then, rubbing his chin, "Perhaps it would be best if Yuki came and stayed with me for a bit. I can keep my eye on her until the rebels have died off."  
"There's a problem with that," Zero muttered, breaking into a bit of a sweat, "I'm afraid Yuki is missing."

Kaname immediately rose to his feet, his eyes widened in shock. "And you withheld this from me before? Why didn't you bring this up as soon as you came in?"

Zero refused to answer. Nor did he meet his superior's gaze.

"Well, it can't be helped now," Kaname muttered, "Let's go. We're going to find her."

"She must be with them now," Zero murmured, "I can take you to their hideout."

"Very well. But we will need back up." Kaname turned towards the door.

"No," Zero objected sharply, "No back up. We need as few vampires as possible in this mission. They have their spies set all around the school. You know that. You need more protection here at Cross Academy. They aren't expecting a raid. Besides, if you take a lot of reinforcement, then they will be more likely to sense us coming and discover us. We have to keep it to just us two. And we need to mask our scent somehow. But how…?"

"Animal skins," Kaname replied matter-of-factly, "They won't sense anything strange about animals approaching in the woods. Plus it will help mute any scent at all. There are some in the great hall at the entrance. We can use those."

Zero nodded in affirmation and followed Kaname to the front of the dorm. They found some bearskins on the floor and covered themselves with them before sneaking out the back entrance and heading for the woods.

It took a lot of effort for them to keep hidden in the daytime. Somehow, though, they managed to make it to the clearing without being spotted. From there, they circled around until they got closer to the waterfall, then, quickly darted behind it.

It took a long time to creep down the narrow passageway, but they managed to make it to the back of the cave. There, they found a dimly lit space with candles, matches, weapons, dynamite, and food supplies. Off to the side, there was a passageway carved out of the rock, with a few cells on either side. Quietly, they snuck down and peered cautiously into the cells. The first few were empty; several others had decaying bodies in them. The stench was so powerful that they had to cover their mouths to keep from gagging. At least there was no more danger of their scent being picked up.

At the back of the passageway, they found a small door. Carefully, the peered beneath, trying to see the interior of the room. All they could make out in the flickering candlelight was two feet in the Academy's issued shoes. Glancing at one another, they nodded, then undid the door, taking care to not make any sort of noise.

What they found horrified them. Yuki was lying slumped against the back wall, her face covered in blood. The room was so hot that she'd broken into a sweat, and was panting from fever. Her hands lay limply by the floor, her fingers slightly curled. Blood stained her once crisp white sleeves and collar. It was apparent that she would not make it much longer unless they intervened.

Kaname rushed over to her side, ignoring the dreadful looks he received from Zero. Quickly, he knelt by her and tried to aid her with some of his healing power. It seemed almost as though he were too late. He remained calm, however. Calm enough to do what he had to do, anyway. As he healed her wounds, she slowly began to come to.

"Ka…na…me…" She breathed, lifting a trembling hand to his cheek.

"No, don't talk," He whispered, lowering his face close to hers, "Just rest. It'll be all right."

She nodded, swallowing hard. Her throat felt so dry; she could hardly swallow at all. It felt to her as though her clothes were suffocating her. She tried to loosen her collar with difficulty. Her cheeks flushed redder as she felt another wave of heat go down her spine; how horribly hot it was! What she wouldn't give for a nice, cool sip of water.

Seeing that her jacket and ribbon were bothering her, Kaname loosened them, then undid them completely and cast them away. She trembled in his strong arms, not from fear, but from utter weakness. He surveyed her condition before telling her what she must do.

"Yuki, I want you to listen to me, and I want you to realize that you must do as I say, all right?"

She glanced up at him with surprised eyes. "What?"

"You do know that you are a vampire, in a sense, right?"

She nodded feebly, her throat tightening even more.

Kaname pulled his collar down a bit and tilted his head to the side, offering her his neck. Her eyes widened in horror. No, she couldn't…not to Kaname! He was by far the most important of the pureblood aristocrats. What a disgrace it would be! What a shame for some human girl to devour his blood so voraciously!

"You must," He whispered, "It's the only way I can save you. If you were completely human, then you would've died by now. Please, take it and save yourself."

"I…I won't go against your word," She murmured, "But I feel strange about this. I'm sorry; I just don't want to shame you."

"You won't shame me," He assured her, "you're an exception to that. I can let you take my blood without any hesitation. Anything to save my dear girl."

She paused momentarily. Then, afraid to go against his word, she tentatively leaned forward and brushed her teeth against his soft flesh. Much to her surprise, she felt her teeth elongate a bit into fangs. It scared her so badly, she jerked back a little and let out a small cry. He only placed his hand behind her head and guided her mouth back to his beating pulse, murmuring reassurances. Feeling calmer, she closed her eyes and let her teeth penetrate into his hot veins. As soon as the warm liquid flowed into her mouth, she felt an overwhelming sense of euphoria. What had she been missing? And, why, disturbingly, did it have to taste and feel so good? Despite the twinge of discomfort she felt, she continued with the deed until she felt as though her strength had been mostly restored. Then, she pulled back.

"I'm sorry…" She adverted her eyes, carefully licking his sweet blood from her lips. Only she understood what an absolute honor it was to have partaken from a pureblood's neck. For those few moments, her spirit and his had seemed to be one. And she was grateful for the favor he'd granted her. He'd chosen to use his power in order for her life to be spared.

"Don't be sorry," Kaname murmured softly, taking her up in his arms in order to carry her. He jerked his head towards Zero, and they made their way out of the cavern and back through the woods, unseen.

* * *

By night time, Yuki felt exhausted. She was aching and sore all over, and tired of telling the same story of what'd happened to her over and over again. It seemed as though the line of visitors had never ended. But now, she could finally rest in Kaname's room, where she was safe.

She rolled over on her side and stared at the shadows on the wall, listening to the symphony of night noises. Closing her eyes, she sighed and began to drift to sleep. Hearing the bed springs creak next to her, she immediately opened her eyes. Kaname was sitting on the edge, looking down at her. She looked lazily up at him, her eyes half closed.

"Go on to class," She yawned, "You don't have to worry about me."

"But I do," He murmured, placing his hand on the side of her head, "I can't have anything bad happen to you again."

"I'll be all right," She muttered sleepily as she closed her eyes again, "You can leave."

Frowning, he shook his head. "Zero can come look after you then. He's already on his way anyhow. He just can't seem to stay away from you."

Yuki said nothing to this. She'd figured he would try to do something of the sort. Nevertheless, she didn't object to it. It really didn't bother her.

She drifted off to sleep for awhile, her dreams filled with the horrors of the past twenty-four hours. Soon enough, she awoke, panting. She attempted to sit up, but found something was restraining her. Scowling, she rolled over to see what was holding her down. She froze. Zero was lying next to her, his arms tightly wound around her waist. Her muscles tensed a bit at the memory of what she'd witnessed in the woods. Then, seeing that he seemed docile, she relaxed back into his embrace. It actually felt kind of nice, now that she thought about it. She felt all safe and warm and cozy. Snuggling back beneath the thick blankets, she fell asleep once more.

Sometime between midnight and one A.M, there was a sharp cry from outside. Yuki and Zero shot up, panting. Immediately, Zero's grasp around his Bloody Rose tightened. He held it up, putting his body between Yuki and the windows. Eerie silence hung in the still air.

Slowly, Zero rose to his feet, and padded across the bare wood floors to the window. He peered outside, then his eyes widened.

"Holy…" He whispered softly under his breath, "It's a massacre…"

Yuki leapt to her feet and rushed to the window. Breathless and dizzy, she gripped the windowsill, then gasped. About thirty feet or so beneath them, there was a mass of bodies lying on the ground. Blood spilled over, staining the grass. Several of the bodies were twisted up as though the victim had been writhing in agony. It seemed to be a silent deed, done swiftly and without a noise until the last cry. As they watched, the bodies began to leak blood more swiftly; the blood was bubbling. Zero covered Yuki's eyes as the corpses turned to dust. The wind blew the dust away, mixing it with the white snow that had begun to fall.

"And just like that," Zero whispered, "It's over…I guess they couldn't save themselves after all."

Yuki was puzzled by his strange words.

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**A/N: I'm sure you can guess what happened here. Hopefully, the next chapter won't be too much longer from now. And this fic seems to be wrapping up rather nicely. Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I think this should be the last chapter because I'm running out of inspiration and rather than trying to force myself, it's better to leave it on a good note.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.**

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Chapter 8:

It took a long time to clear the schoolyard of the bodies. The investigators worked long and hard to figure out what exactly had gone wrong. But Yuki knew it had been no weapon or betrayal that had done them in. They had not been able to handle to toxicity of her blood.

She turned to Zero and took his hand, squeezing it. He looked down at her with cold silver eyes. Sighing, she leaned against him.

"It's over, Zero. It's finally over."

"Thankfully," He murmured, "I didn't know if we'd be able to hold them off much longer."

"My blood did them in," She whispered, touching her neck and blushing, "Too bad that…"

"That you're caught in a dilemma now?" He finished, sending her a sideways glare. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking. And you know what? I'm going to take care of the answer for you. Go on to Kaname. He deserves you more than I do. And he loves you more than I do."

She grabbed his arm quickly as he turned to walk away. "Zero! Please don't be a martyr."

He said nothing as the petite girl drew close to him and embraced him tightly. After a moment's hesitation, he hugged her back and stroked her hair, trying to comfort her. No, it wasn't that he didn't care about her. Rather, he cared about her too much. And he knew that he could never treat her quite as well as Kaname. Not to mention she'd already been pierced by his pureblood fangs and drank his blood. There was no question of what he must do then. He must relinquish her over to Kaname.

Giving her a slight push, he gestured for her to leave. Her eyes shimmered with tears of confusion; however, she refused to allow a single crystalline droplet to stain the earth beneath her. Instead, she obediently turned and tore down the path towards the temporary Moon Dorm. After all, Zero could not stand to look upon her anymore. She had seen his heart breaking in his eyes. She felt almost forced, but, deep inside, she knew that she would've made the decision on her own regardless of Zero's words.

As she neared the dorm, she slowed to a walk. Now, she felt a bit nervous about the whole matter. Say Kaname did not accept her. Say he grew upset with her for her decision. What if he had changed his mind about her? Quickly, she cleared her head of the idea and, swallowing hard, stepped through the entrance. As soon as her eyes had adjusted, she saw Aido lounging in a nearby chair. Arching an eyebrow, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

"Good morning, Aido," She greeted, calling the vampire's attention.

"What's so good about it?" He yawned, "I won't be getting any sleep because of that incident. Oh, well. At least they're defeated. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Um…" Feeling nervous again, she found herself unable to speak.

His interest perked and a slow, wolfish grin spread over his dainty features. "Might I be able to interest you with my time?" He queried, rising from his thickly cushioned seat.

"N-no thank you," She said quickly, shaking her head, "I came because I'd like to see Kaname-sama."

"Kaname?" He asked, frowning slightly. Then, looking bored, he gave a slight wave of his hand. "Oh, he's busy in a meeting right now. You know it's going to be a very long day, trying to clean this mess up and all. So perhaps I could help you instead?"

"I am not interested in your advances," She informed him, "Now, it's seriously important. I need to ask Kaname something."

Looking irritated, Aido shook his head and opened his mouth to deny her. Before he could, however, there was a sharp reprimand from the stairs. Yuki quickly looked over to see Kaname descending the steps.

"I th-thought you were in a meeting!" Aido stammered, completely shocked.

"I'm done now. And I can see Yuki. I always have time for my dear girl." He told them.

Aido sighed heavily. "I'm in trouble now, aren't I?"

Kaname nodded. "I'll deal with you later," He said, "Now, for the matter of which you came?"

Yuki's cheeks flushed with pink. "Oh, y-yes. I'm sorry. I was just wanting to talk to you in private…"

He gestured for her to follow him upstairs. Then, he turned into his private quarters and shut the door.

"What is it, Yuki?"

"Well," She began, twisting the fabric of her jacket around her fingers, "I'm not really sure how to say this but…Zero has decided he doesn't want to…" She paused, suddenly embarrassed.

He stepped close to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "It's all right, my dear girl. I understand what you're trying to tell me. If that's the case, then I suppose that you're fully mine. Of course, then again you always were."

As he held her close, she felt happy as well as confused. She looked up at him and searched his eyes, hoping for an explanation. He merely leaned down. Her heart began to pound as he brushed his lips to her forehead.

"From the time that we were younger," He told her, resting his chin on top of her head, "We were meant to be married."

Startled, she pulled back to look up at him, her face white as a sheet. "Married?!"

"Yes, I know it may come as a shock to you but…we were engaged. It was all arranged."

Staring up at him, she realized he was not kidding. She wasn't really sure how to feel about this. Part of her was ecstatic; part of her was concerned about Zero. Slowly, she walked over to a chair and sat on it, trying to fully comprehend the information.  
"Yuki, I'm sorry if this is too much for you," He said, sitting on the edge of his bed and looking at her sympathetically.

She shook her head, swallowing hard and trying to control her breathing. "It's all right. I'm fine." She laughed softly, trying to lighten the mood. To think, she was to be his wife! Certainly, this must be a dream…

Pinching herself, she found that it was not. A big smile spread across her face as she leapt to her feet and hugged him. He smiled as well and hugged her closer to his chest. Looking up at him, she hoped that it would be true and that they could live peaceably enough.

"You do realize the responsibility that comes along with this role, don't you?" He asked her, stroking her dark hair.

She nodded eagerly. "I'm up for the challenge." She informed him, "And I'll do whatever you require of me. I'll do anything to help you."

He pulled her into his lap and kissed her firmly on the forehead. "You're all mine then."  
"I wouldn't have it any other way." She told him, beaming. "Now that I've made my decision, I wonder how I could've ever thought otherwise. You really are the one for me."

He smiled down at her. "I figured so much. Now I suppose we can live our lives together and help each other."

"And yes, I will give you my blood," She told him softly, fingering her neck.

As though on cue, he leaned down and kissed her warm flesh. "Can I? I've been waiting so long…" He nuzzled his nose against her beating pulse.

Breathless, she nodded. In response, he sank his fangs gently into her delicate ivory skin and took small sips of the crimson liquid that arose to the surface. Although the skin was tender, it had become accustomed to such encounters; therefore, it was not as painful as it had originally been. In fact, she found it to be semi-pleasurable. She titled her head back, her eyes shut, and gave a soft moan of ecstasy as he drank from her hot veins. She felt his lips curve upwards into a smile, and his arms tightened around her, his hands caressing the back of her head. Yes, she was at ease with him. She felt completely stable in his arms. And she could most certainly tell that he loved her deeply. Of course, she felt the same. Perhaps soon they would marry; as soon as she was old enough of course. It might be another year or two. But she could wait for his sake. She could wait for him until the end of the world. For now that she had him for good, nothing could ever tear them apart.

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**A/N: That was really short but I was completely out of ideas and it was ready to be finished. I wanted it to be sweet so…that's it. I hope you enjoyed it. ; )**


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